maxim



4 sheets- Sheet 1.

vNo Model.)

s. MAXIM. .AUTOMATIC GUN.

N. 447,836. Patented Mar. 1o 1891.

(No Model.) 4sheens-sh4'aet 4.

` H. SfMAXIM.)

AUTOMATIC GUN.

[ Patellted Maf; 1,0., 189Lv ilu/1111,

Il w Uniti-:o STATES PATENT Ormea HIRAM S. MAXIM, OF LONDON, ENGLAND.

AUTOMATIC euri.`

SPEClFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 447,836, dated March10, 1891. Original application led December Z8, 1886, Serial No.222,849. Divided and this application filed October 18, 1889. Serial No.

327.458. (No mbaei.)

Patented in France .Tune 19, 1885,110. 169,647, and Febrly 12, 1887, No.181,516, in England June-1, 1886, No. 7,354; in Germany January 20,1887, No. 41,870; in Belgium September'Z, 1887, No. 79,005; in ItalyNovember 26, 1887,1l`ol 22,500, and in Austria-Hungary April 2l, 1888,No. 34,166.

. To all whom it may concern,.-

` Beit known that I, HiRAa/i STEVENS MAXIM, mechanical engineer, acitizen of .the United States,andaresidentof London,England,have

invented certain newand useful Improve' ments in Automatic Guns, (forwhich I have obtained patents in the following countries: in GreatBritain, No. 7,354, dated June 1,1886; in France, No; 169,647, datedJune 19, 1885, certiiicate of addition to No. 169,647, dated October 15,1886, andNo. 181,516, dated February 12, 1887; in Belgium, No. 7 9,005,dated September 26, 1887; in Germany, No. 41,870, dated January 20, 18875 in Italy, No. 22,500, dated November 26, 1887, and in Austria-Hungary,No. 84,166, dated April 21, 1888,) of which the following is aspecification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings. 4

The following speciiication is a full, clear, and exact description ofmy said improvements, reference being had to the drawings`accompanying-the same.

This application is a division of an application iiled by me December28, 1886, Serial No. 222,849.- 1

In my Said application above referred to I y have shown and described afoi-m of automatic gun characterized by the following general featuresof construction and mode of operation: The barrel and breech -block areboth capable of a certain range of longitudirestrained against forwardmovement, or by `its momentum continues for a short distance its recoiland is then locked. Some device of storing the energy of the recoil ofthese parts is utilized to restore the barrel to its position, andanother and similar device- ,rel ofthe said gun. view of the saidbarrel.

tion.

connection with the breech-block, which `is released and permitted tomove forward when. the barrel has reached its forward position,I

or nearly so. These movements or changes of position of the parts l haveutilized in ef-'qi fecting automatically the operations of loadf` ingand ring the gun-that is to say, the recoil of the barrel withdraws acartridge from a suitable feed mechanism and leaves it in` position tobe subsequently dropped'or forced into line with the breech-block andbreech. The operation of the breech-block and barrel extracts the emptyshell from the Y latter and permits the loaded shell to move into linewith the barrel. lThe forward movement of the .breech-block drives-theshell y ho'nie'an'd tips the hammer previously cocked by Someof themoving parts.`

My present vform of iire-arm contains de-l .7 vention relates, however,more particularlyadapta-tion of the general principle to suchV arms.

In the accompanying drawings I have illus.- trated these improvements asapplied to short guns and pistols.

Figure 1 is a vertical longitudinal central section on the line :c or,Fig; 1. Fig. 5-isa lvation, partly in vertical longitudinal centralsection, showing the forward part of the said rifle. Fig. l0 is atransverse section on the vline .e e, Fig. 9. Figs. 10 to 17, inclusive,are drawn to an enlarged scale. Fig. 1l is a plan showing a lever,hereinafter described, for transferringlthe cartridges from the maga.-

'section of a sporting-gun embodying the in.- K' 'vention. Fig. 2 is aside elevation of the bar= Fig. 8 is an under side- Fig. 4. isatransversej :similar section through the barrel only. Fig. E6 is avertical longitudinal central sectiony ofY 4fa pistol` constructedaccording to .-rny inven. Fig. 7 isa-plan, partly in he'srzontal'-section', and Fig. 8 a vertical longitudinal central section, of amilitary rifle with lmy invention applied thereto.y Fig. 9 is a sideele- 5o such as a spring-is similarly employed in zine intothe\gun-.Figs. 12, 13, 14, and 'I5 1o -6o thehammer H, pivoted at E, andactedupon `by a spring pawls project through .magazine J. Retaining-pawls 7are provided are transverse sections on the lines e e' z3 z3, anda"1 s4of Fig. 8,respectively. Fig'. 16 is a Vertical longitudinal centralsection of the breech-block detached. Fig. 17 is a vertical longitudinalcentral Vsection of the innel` frame, hereinafter described, detached.

A is a metal casing, hereinafter designated the outer frame, thatincloses the operative parts ofthe breech mechanism' and is secured toAthe stock A. B is the barrel, and B an extension thereof, which ishereinafter designated the inner frame,bctl1 being-'arranged to slideback and forth in frame A.

C is the breech-block inner frameB.

A tubular magazine J is arranged beneath the barrel, and a seriesl ofspring-pawls J are attached tothe barrel, so that in each recoil of thelatter the said pawls will move the cartridges in the magazine towardthebreech of the gun through a distance equal or about .fitted to slidein the 'equal to the length of a'cartridge. .The

said cartridges are thus pushed successively 'in a chamber A below thebreech, whence they-are raised by the sprin-gs a' as required intoposition in front of the breech-block. To effectually insure the properworking of this device, I prefer toarrange the pawls J .alternately oneither side ofthe axis of the barrel, as shown more clearly in Fig. 3.lhese apertures J in the for .preventing forward movement of thecartridges in the magazine.

In'the gun shown in Fig. 1 the inner frame B' is an extension of. thebarrel B. Itis consaid plunger. 5

- plunger b in plunger nectedbylinks B with a hollow or tubular b,fitted to slide toiand froin a tubular chamber in .the stock A,iu whichchamber is -placed `th e spring .'E, for effecting the .forward orreturn movement of the barrel and inner frame. Thespring D, foreffectingthe forward or return movement of the breech-- block, is placed inthesaid hollow plunger b and bears at its 'lower end against the saidplunger and at its upper end againsta shoulder or iiange upon a rod a',iitted to slide in the `he rod c. is oonnectedwith the breeclrblock bymeans of links pled at one end to the pivoted bar `or strut C and atthevother end to the rod ot. The spring E is in this case madeconsiderably stronger than the spring-D, so that' after the recoil the.

be further compressed by the lthe forward movement of the barreland-inner frame.

A scar I is pivoted at I tothe outer frame A and is acted'upon by aspring l', whereby it. is caused to engage with the bent H of spring D-will Di.k This sear extends upward,

sothat when the breech-block has nearly terminated its forward movementa projection Mis the-trigger, which is pivotea a M'to 'with the shoulderor bent H the outer frame A-and is acted upon by a spring M, whereby itis caused Ato engage of the hammer and is held in engagement therewithuntil it is pulled to fire the gun. When the trigger is pulled to firethe gun, a projection 0r extension F of the trigger is moved upintoposition to engage with the hook F of the bar C', when the latter isdepressed by the arm F, and thus holds back the breech-block.'

The spring lt also servesto disengage the projection or extension'F ofthe trigger from v the hook F when the trigger is released.

E is a buffer, of leather, india-rubber, or

other suitable material, for diminishing the shock producedby the recoilof the inner frame and parts carried thereby.

l The gun in Fig. 1 is shown in condition to be fired by pulling thetrigger M.v The discharge causes the barrel to .recoil and carry thebreech-block`0 back with it, the latter being locked lto thebarrel bythe engagement of the shoulder c on thestrut C with ashoull der c on theinner frame B'. The hammer H, before striking Athe tiring-pino",encounters the strut C and insures its engagement with the frame B. Therecoil of the breechblock and barrel compresses springs D Eand storesthe energy therein that effects the return of these parts. Thebreech-block also encounters and cocks the hammer H by caus- 'ing vittoengage with the scar I; When the rear end of the strut C encounters the`part F, the hook F engages with' the arm "F, which is elevated by thepressure upon the trigger, and the strut is disengaged from the frameB". The barrelvtherefore returns to its forward position, the emptyshell is withdrawn, and a fresh cartridge forced up into 'line with thebarrel.

Then the trigger is released, the spring M"disengages the "arm vl? fromthe strut C and shifts't-he-trigger, caus-l ing it to engage with thehammer H; The breech-block is returned to position by the spring D. v

In the modification of my invention illustrate'd in Figs. 7 to 17 thebreech-block, in-

stead of vbeing providedwith a pivoted bar or strut, as hereinbeforedescribed, is soarranged 1n the inner frame' B that-it is free to 'movevertically therein upon or about its forward end as a pivoter fulcrum.It hasa'shoulder. or projection c, which is adapted to engage with theshoulder c' on the inner frame B to Ico' noM

lock the said block therein-when the breech is. y

closed. The reaend ofthe breech-block has an inclined upper-surfaced anda hook or projection F on its under side. An arm F" is pi'votedatitsrearendfto the' frame A and is pressed down bya spring; so thatwhenthe barrel and other parts have nearly terminated their recoil theinclined surface d of the breech-block will strike the under side of thesaid armFi, and the breech-block will thereby be moved downward anddisengaged from the shoulder c on'the frame B'. The breech-block isthen". 4 held back, as hereinafter described, while the `vr`vl`ing thereturn of the barrel and breech-block barrel and inner frame moveforward. The spring D is arranged within the chamber L and is attachedat its forward end to a stop L', fixed within the said chamber, and atits rear end to a rod D. This rod is coupled to an extension d of thebreech-block C, so that in the recoil of 'the barrel and other parts thesaid spring will be extended and will be kept extended so long as thebreeelrblock is held back. As soon as the breech-block is released thesaid spring will react to effect the forward orreturn movement thereof.The spring E is also arranged within the said chamber L and presses atits rear end against the stop L and at its forward end against plungerL", fitted to slide in the said chamber. This plunger is firmly securedto the barrel-B by means of the ring or annular piece Z. In the recoilof the barrel and other parts the spring E is compressed. The saidspring then reacts to effect or assist in eedting the return movement ofthe said frame and parts carried thereby. To diminish the shock producedby the recoil of the said vinner frame and parts carried thereby, Iprovide a supplementary spring Z', which is firmly attached to the frameA and extends upward, so that in the latter part of such recoil theinner frame will strike the said spring'au'd compress the same. The

said spring by its reaction assists inV effecting the forward or returnmovement of the barrel and inner frame, while the breech-block is heldback', and thus effectually insures the starting of the emptycartridge-shells from the barrel, 'as above specified.

- The empty shells are ej ected by projections c on the inner frame B',which projections slide in grooves e in the breeeh-block, and which inthe latter part of the forward movement of the said frame strike thebase of the lcartridge-shell and throw the said shell upthe breech-blockuntil the barrel has been -`1noved forward through a sufficient distanceto start the same from the empty cartridgeshell. f By this means lprovide for preventtogether7 which would otherwise-occur if the ftrigger were released whilean empty ear- `tridge-shell was firmly heldin the barrel. 'A 6o rihe breech-block is, moreover, provided withsurfaces f, which hold down the hammer un til the said` block is movedforward to close the breech.

N is a hooked leverfwhich is pivotedatN' to the frame A and is adaptedto engage with an extension Ma of the trigger. after the lat, ter hasbeen pulled to re the gun, and thus 'p'rojectionsF from the hook F.

hold-the said trigger, so that its projections, F are in position toengage with the hook F' of the breech-block.- A spring m is attached tothe trigger ill and bears against a shoulder N on the hooked lever N, sothat the said spring tends `to hold the said hooked lever in "engagementwith the trigger, and when the said hokedlever is disengaged from thetrigger causes the extension m of the .latter (which forms the sear) toengage with the bent vh' of -the hammer and disengages the The triggeris liliade with two finger-pieces, so that should the spring mr fail tocause the release of the breech-block .this operation can be positivelyeected by force applied to the -forward lingerlpiece. VThe upper end ofthe hooked lever N extends through an opening in the top .of the gun, sothat pressure can be applied to the said lever by the thumb to disengageit from the arm ll of the trigger. The hammer is released to rethe gunby pulling the rear linger-piece of the trigger, and thus disengagingthe sear m from the -bent of the hammer. From the foregoing descriptionit will be seen that in this modification of my invention the scarengages with` the bent of t-he hammer when the trigger is released fromthe hooked lever N to perm-tthe forward movement of .the breech-block,and thatwher.-

the triggeris pulled to fire the gun the projections F are raised intoposition to engage with the hook F of the breech-block.

A cam 71, is formed on each side of the boss or hub of the hammerll, sothat when the hammer is released by the pulling of the trigger the saidcams will act 'upon the surfaces 71," of the breech-block and will thusforce the rear end thereof upward and lock it in the-inner frame beforethe hammer strikes the firing-pin.

The magazine J is secured to vthe side of the gun, in'which au apertureis formed to permit the transfer of the cartridges from the saidmagazine into the loading position.

O isa lever, which is pivoted at the forward end of the magazine upon apin .or bolt O', secured in the said magazine andV passed through anelongated slot Of in the said lever. This slot extends at right anglesto the axis of the barrel. The long arm of the said lever extendsrearward within the magazine. The said lever is provided withat-ail-piece 0, against which presses a spring o', attached to themagazine. This spring tends to hold the said lever in such a positionthat its long arm is clear of the cartridges in the magazine, but isready to act upon the lowernost cartridge therein to ytransfer ittherefrom. The said lever has a projection o, which is acted upon by ashoulder f "on the inner frame B in the forward or return movement ofthe latter. The said `lever is thus turned on its pivot and transfersthe lowermost cartridge from the magazine into position infront of thebreechblock, so that it will be thrust into the barrel by the said blockin its forward movement.

Los

I Thev said lever 1s provided with a projection 5. f, which, as soon asv the said lever has thus 'transferred a cartridge from the magazine,Iwill strike against the inner frame B so that the lever will. therebybe pushed outward on its pivot O, and its spring -o will cause it toresume the position shown .in Fig. 7. v I thus provide for insuring thatthe cartridges in .the magazine shall haveample t-ime to descend beforethe said lever is again operated to transfer. a cartridge from the saidvmagazine. v l

Theoperation of the gun shown in'Figs. 7, 8, and 9 is. as follows, viz:The parts 'are shown inthe positions which they occupy when the triggerhas -just been ,pulled to fire bari-.el i'sdrawn ofi:l the `thegun, thebreech-block being shown in the position which it occupies when it hasbeen moved upward bythe cams Wand .while the hammer strilres thetiring-pin. When a cartridge is exploded in the barrel, the said barrel,lthe inner frame'B', and parts carried thereby recoil and cock thehammer, which is held back by the surfaces or projectionsf onthebreech-block until the said 4 block is disengaged'from `theprojection F vandlthe sear m has .engaged with the bent l y In thelatter part of the recoil the breech-blclstrikes the arm F", 4and isthereby unlocked from `the inner frame,

' Vand the projections F engage with the hook F of the breech-block andhold back the said block while the barrel and inner frame are. movedforward bythe reaction of the springs 'E-Z. In this forward movement theempty'cartridge-shell. The projections e on the inner frame then' strikethe. base of the said shell' and eject the same from thegun. Theshoulder f on the inner frame then strikes the projection o of the leverO, and thereby transfers a cartridge from the magazine into position infront .of the breech-block.` The said leveris immediately caused toresume the position shown in Fig. 7 by the strikin'gof its projection fagainst the innerframe', thus permitting the column of cartridges in themagazine to descend, so that another cartridge is brought into positionto be transferred from the mag- .The breech-block is then moved forward`by a'bpuu as apistol. #A

azine into the gun. y\Thehookedlever N mustthen jections F from the hookFf and to permit the sear te engage with the bent ofl the hammer.

- the reaction of its spring D and pushes the cartridge into the barrel,and the gun is again `ready' for firing. As the trigger, after beingpulled to re the gun, must be released to per# mit the diseng ment of vthe projectionsF 4from the hookF ,itis obvious that successiveshotacannot bered by only once pulling the trigger. l y

`In Fig. 6 I have shown my improvements b e pushed inward to disengagethe pro-B tofore-that is to say, by placing a'consider.

able yportion of the weight above the axis ,of the barrel. The magazineis firmly attached to theframe A andv is provided. with springretaining-pawls j. v.The barrel B is provided with pawls J for feedingthe cartridges successively into the chamber Af', as above describedwith reference to Figs. 1 to'3: The breech block is arranged to turnverticallyupon or about its forward eud, as abovedescribed withreference to Figs. 7 to 17. It is coupled by means of'linksD wit-h a rodor plunger a fitted to slide to and fro in the stock or butt A and.acted upon by the spring Dinserted-thereim The frame B is extendedupward, as'at P, 'and `the spring E is fitted within a chamber L behindand in line with the chamber A". In the rear :part of .the chamber L astrong supplementary spring l .is arranged. This spring bears at its'rear end against one end of the chamber L and at` purposes abovespecified;

its forward end against a plunger P', fitting y into the spring E andextending forward 'within the same, so that'when the-barrel and Thebreech-block C, the trigger M are all arranged relatively tov each othersubstantially as above described with reference to Figs. 7 to 17.

hammer 1I, yand the.-

rc o

A novel feature of the pistol shown in. Fig.

6 is the construction and arrangement of the trigger-guard iii such amanner that it will serve also as the mainspring--that is tov say, theguard P is a spring secured at one end tothe butt. The other end p, ofreduced size, bears against thehammer H. f 1

ll. The combination of the outer frame, the stock or handle to whichV itis secured, a barrel and inner frame fixed orformed on the barrel andarranged to slide in the outer frame, a breech-block adapted to slide inthe inner frame, and springs placed in the stock for returning thebreech-block and barrel atter recoil, as'herein set forth.

2. The 'combination of the outer frame, the

IIO

stock or handle towhich it is secured, a sliding barrel, breech-block,and k,breech mechanism connected therewith, adapted to be operated Vbythe recoil of the barrel' to reload the same tubular magazine .Tis`

after a discharge, a hammer adapted to be cocked by the movement. oroperation of the breech mechanism, and a trigger engaging therewithtopre'vent theantomatic discharge of the gamas set forth. f

3. In a lire-arm provided with asliding barrel arranged to recoil ateaeh dischhrge, a.

tubular magazine parallel to said barrel, and pauls or projections fromthe barrel entering' the magazine and adapted to engage with and movethe Cartridges backward to the breech at each discharge, as set forth. l

l. The combination of a sliding barrel arranged'io recoil at eachdischarge, a frame formed on or attached to said barrel,a tiltingbreech-block adapted to engage with the frame, whereby it is looked tothe barrel, and means for releasing it from the frame,as set forth. J

5. The-combination of the outer the sliding cured thereto and providedWith an engagingshoulder e', the movable breech-block C, having ashoulder c, adapted to engage with the shoulder c when the breech-blockis in 'its forward position, and the arm F,`seeured to the outer frameinposition to move the breechblock outl of engagement with the frame ll ontheir recoil, as set forth.

(3. In a fire-arm, the combination of a sliding barrel, a breech-blocknormally-locked to frame A,

the barrel, but capable when released of indei pendent movement, atrigger `which when l pulled to tire the gun is brought intola positionto engage with the breech-block :at the termination of its recoil, and acatch adapted to engage with the trigger when brought to such positionand hold the same until the engagement therewith of the breeelrbloek.

7. In a lire-arm, the combination, with the outer frame and stock, of abarrel and attache-d frame capable of sliding in said outer frame and abreech-block arranged to slide barrel B, the inner frame B', se-

pieces for moving it in the inner frame, springs connected to the barreland breech-block and the outerfranie, respectively,v and supplementalsprings between the rear end ot' the inner frame andthe stock orstationary partI of the gun, as set forth.

8. In a fire-arm, the combination, Wit-h a reciproeating breech-bleekand breeeh mechanism for operatin g the saine, of a-trigger adapted toengage with and lool; the hreeelrbloclc in its rearmost position, thesaid trigger being provided with forward and rear finger positively ineither direction, as set forth.

9. The combination, with the outer frame A, the stock A', the slidingbarrel B, the in ner frame B,attached thereto, andthe breeohblock C,movable in frame B, of the spring E, arranged within the gun-stock, thehollow plunger b and links Il", connecting the spring With-the innerframe, the spring D, arranged within said plunger', and rod d and linksD', connecting it- With the breech-block, as set forth.

l0. The combination, with the sliding' barrel, of the tubular magazineJ, the 'pawls J', extending from the barrel into the magazine, andretaining-pawls plaeed within the'niagazine, as set forth.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto 6 5 y signed my name in thepresence ot' two subscribing witnesses.

' MIRA. s. MAXIM.

Witnesses: p

DAvID Yorxe, CIL-xs. ll. Brumm'.

